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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28286850">Never</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metonic_Cycle/pseuds/Da_Vinci_101'>Da_Vinci_101 (Metonic_Cycle)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Only a Bird [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Assassin's Creed - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Ezio is a horrible singer, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, No happy endings yet, Not yet anyways, Pre-Relationship, Small Reference to Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Some Humor, and an even worse lute player</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:33:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,799</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28286850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metonic_Cycle/pseuds/Da_Vinci_101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Is this because I keep putting you in danger,” Ezio retorts, a sharp bite entering his voice, “or because you just do not want us to be friends any longer?” Leonardo’s eyes widen slightly at that last part, and it seems the assassino takes that for his answer. Ezio puts the Codex page down on the <em>artista’</em>s worktable not-so-carefully, and begins walking towards the door.</p><p>Leonardo, ignoring the scroll as it rolls off the table and onto the floor, follows after Ezio. “No, no, Ezio- that’s <em>not-”</em></p><p>“‘That’s not’ what?” Ezio hisses, stopping and whipping his head back around to glare from underneath his hood. “It seems to me it’s <em>exactly</em> like that, Leonardo. I do not hate you, I am not disgusted with you- hell, <em>what</em> in <em>Dio’</em>s name could possibly make you think I would be disgusted with you??… But I am <em>disappointed.”</em> He turns his head away, now facing the door once more. “I will return <em>later</em> to retrieve the Codex page. And then after that, you will not have to see me ever again.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ezio Auditore da Firenze &amp; Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Only a Bird [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Never</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic ain't as good as it could be (in fact, I think this fic is absolute shit), but it's better than nothing, I guess. :/</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ezio’s day so far is turning out <em>less</em> than fun, to say the least.</p><p>This afternoon, he’d had been skirting his way across the rooftops of Venezia, and taken out one of the rooftop guards with his throwing knives. Now, normally this wasn’t a problem. In fact, it’s something he does all the time, since Ezio prefers to use the rooftops, and the guards are never too keen on just <em>letting</em> him go wherever he pleased- though it really would be in their best interests to do so, but it seems that fact has yet to occur to them. And so, the <em>assassino</em> had approached the body of the guard he’d just killed, intent on looting it like he did to all the other corpses he dropped. The body was sprawled on the edge of the sloped roof, very close to falling off. So, Ezio tiptoed towards it carefully, and crouched down to remove the small leather pouch from the man’s belt.</p><p>The body started to slide off the roof, and Ezio didn’t have time to let go of the pouch. So he was dragged over the side <em>with</em> the corpse, and plummeted to the street below. Thankfully, the building hadn’t been that high, so the only injuries Ezio received upon impact with the stone road were soon-to-be blossoming bruises.</p><p>Unfortunately, both he and the body he’d attempted to loot had smacked into the ground right in front of a patrol of guards, who had just finished crossing one of Venezia’s many bridges. Ezio wasn’t in the mood for an all-out brawl with this patrol (he’d already gotten into fights with two other patrols this morning), so he yanked the corpse’s money pouch free and sprinted towards the canal, ignoring the shrieking of terrified civilians and the shouting of angry guards. And <em>dove</em> into the water.</p><p>And so now, here Ezio is, ten minutes later, walking the streets of Venezia in sopping, dripping wet <em>assassino</em> robes, drenched in the stench of the city’s smelly canal. It’s bad enough that the civilians often stare at him because of his unusual (to say the least) get-up, but the fact that they now also stare due to the <em>smell</em> just makes it all so much worse.</p><p>Upon spotting his objective, Ezio scampers up the side of the wall across the street, clambering up the windows and wooden lantern posts up to the roof. He peers over the edge of the roof for a moment, checking to make sure there isn’t a guard on patrol, before hoisting himself up over. He steps away from the edge before crouching down, eyes locking on the guards standing in front of the building he needs to get into. If his information is accurate, one of the Codex pages is inside.</p><p>Ezio sighs.  </p><p>It looks like he’s getting into yet another fight anyway.</p><p>The <em>assassino</em> moves to the small ropes running between the building he’s standing on, and the one housing the Codex. He tiptoes across, swiftly, but carefully so as to not lose his balance, and then stops, maintaining a low crouch as he glared down at the guards below. He counts about four guards there. Two of them he could easily take out with his twin hidden blades- the other two would undoubtedly have drawn their weapons at that point and thus require a bit more work to deal with.</p><p>This having been determined, and a game plan set firmly in Ezio’s mind, the <em>assassino</em> extends his hidden blades and leaps down from above, and strikes. As he lands in a crouch and knocks down the two guards closest to him, the other two stumble back in horror and shock. He releases his hidden blades with a flick of the wrists, and they sink into the two downed guards’ necks.</p><p>Ezio instantly retracts his hidden blades and stands up, turning to face the remaining guards- who, from the looks of it, are about ready to bolt. Meanwhile, civilians are running about the street screaming, stumbling and crashing into one another in terror.</p><p>“I suggest you start running now,” Ezio says slowly and firmly, his hidden blades sliding out once more with a soft <em>shink</em> as he speaks, “or you’ll be next in line.”</p><p>~~~~</p><p>Leonardo can’t seem to bring himself to paint. Or work on his flying machine. Or anything of the like, really. He flits about the workshop anxiously, his thoughts running a mile a minute, colliding with one another and scattering and then being forgotten entirely due to a lack of focus.</p><p>Finally, after determining he’s not going to be able to get any work done today- not in this state- he sits down in a chair, letting his face fall into the palms of his hands. His thoughts start to become coherent now, though not for the reasons he would prefer.</p><p>Internal conflict has never been something Leonardo handled all too well.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Why didn’t you tell him you were leaving? </em> </strong>
</p><p><em>I did it for </em>both <em>our sakes. </em></p><p>
  <strong> <em>And when he found you on your way to Venezia, why did you let him come with you??</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Because if I did not, he’d ask questions- questions I cannot answer without…</em>
</p><p><strong> <em>Without what? Without losing him? Without condemning yourself to an existence where he </em> </strong> <strong>hates<em> you? He would have tracked you down. He would have still asked. And no matter what you said or did, you still would have lost him. He would still hate you. He would still be </em>disgusted<em> with you.</em></strong></p><p><strong> <em>He will find out the truth soon enough. It is only a matter of time. And then he’ll leave you. You will lose him forever, and you will have no one but </em> </strong> <strong>yourself<em> to blame.</em></strong></p><p>Leonardo gasps, his breaths starting to tremble violently with each movement of his lungs. His hands slide up to the top of his head, his fingers tangling in his hair as he clenches his fists.</p><p>He’s trapped.</p><p>He’s trapped, cornered like a frightened animal, terrified of the consequences if he does <em>anything</em>, terrified of the consequences if he does <em>nothing</em>. The future is set in stone, and there is nothing he can do. A firm knock on his workshop door reaches his ears, and Leonardo knows it’s Ezio. But he doesn’t move. He knows that if he moves, if he answers the door, he knows Ezio will eventually ask.</p><p>And Leonardo can’t answer.</p><p>He struggles to keep his shuddering under control. Perhaps, if he’s completely silent, Ezio will think he’s not here and leave.</p><p>As if sensing his futile hopes, Ezio bangs his fist on the door again and calls, “Leo? Leonardo! Are you in there??” Ezio won’t leave. Not now. It’s almost as if the two of them are linked by some invisible tether, a tether that can only be cut by the <em>assassino</em> himself.</p><p>Perhaps…</p><p>Perhaps it’s time to just tell him the <em>truth</em>. It’s inevitable that Ezio will find out. Leonardo knows this. It will be better if it comes from Leonardo himself. Then, maybe, losing Ezio for good will be less painful, for the both of them.</p><p>Leonardo knows that’s a lie.</p><p>Nevertheless, he pushes himself to his feet and slowly treads to the door, his heart sinking into his chest. He puts on a fake smile as he settles his hand on the door handle, the cold seeping into his fingers without mercy- as if it’s an omen for the chilled, deathly loneliness and pain that will follow. He turns the handle and lets the door swing open. “Ezio! <em>Amico mio,</em> do come in!” He steps to the side, waving his hand quickly to emphasise his feigned excitement at seeing his friend. He briefly notes that the man smells as if he’d swum in the city’s canals again- it wouldn’t be surprising if he did.</p><p>Where before he always found joy in seeing Ezio, almost no matter what the reason, today Leonardo only feels dread.</p><p>
  <em>I want you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not like you want me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I want you so badly, it hurts. </em>
</p><p><em>I want you so badly, that I </em>don’t <em>want you. </em></p><p><em>I </em>want<em> you to leave, yet I </em>don’t<em> want you to.</em></p><p>“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” After closing the door, Leonardo turns to face Ezio, an expectant look now spreading across his features. Ezio reaches into the folds of his robes and pulls out a small, yellowed scroll. Leonardo’s smile becomes somewhat genuine upon seeing it- deciphering these codices, while certainly time-consuming, always brought him challenging puzzles. In other words, deciphering these codices are a pastime Leonardo thoroughly enjoys. “Ooh, you brought another one! How <em>exciting!”</em> As he reaches for the scroll, Ezio pulls it away.</p><p>Leonardo’s smile falls.</p><p>“Leonardo, before I give you this Codex page,” Ezio starts, a steady, impassive tone in his voice, “I need you to answer some questions for me.”</p><p>
  <em>Cazzo.</em>
</p><p>Of course, Ezio would use a Codex page of all things as a <em>bargaining chip</em>. “Very well,” Leonardo replies, his voice a little dry now. “I suppose the page can wait a few minutes longer. What do you want to know?”</p><p>“Why did you leave Firenze without telling me?” Ezio demands. Leonardo sees the pain, the doubt, in his <em>amico’</em>s eyes, and his gaze flicks downward towards the paint-stained floor. A mistake. “You <em>never</em> planned on telling me… did you?” The hurt shines clear in the <em>assassino’</em>s voice. Leonardo’s body shivers lightly as he tries to hold back a shudder. His voice is failing to cooperate. It’s as if it’s died altogether. He feels Ezio’s hand on his arm, the other man’s grip firm, yet gentle. The hurt has morphed into concern, as Ezio then asks softly, “Leo? Are you alright, <em>amico?”</em></p><p>“No,” Leonardo finally speaks, still not looking up at his friend. Still not meeting his eyes. “I… I did not plan on telling you that I was leaving. Or to tell you where I was going.”</p><p>Leonardo can feel the next question burning hot in Ezio’s mind. <em>Why?</em> Ezio doesn’t ask it, and so Leonardo doesn’t answer. It feels like an hour has passed when the <em>assassino</em> does ask. Perhaps it was really only minutes, but the passage of time is far from Leonardo’s top concern at the moment.</p><p>“Why?” And then the other unasked question. <em>Is it because I keep putting you in danger?</em></p><p>“If I tell you, you will hate me,” Leonardo says, his voice devoid of emotion. He’s not sure if he’s really speaking at this point, or if his body is just acting on its own- as if his soul is merely an audience to the events transpiring, as if this is just a play he’s watching. As if it’s only a dream. He wishes it’s just a dream. But he knows it isn’t, that this is real, that he’s already losing Ezio, and that it’s his own damn fault. “And even if I do not tell you, you will <em>still</em> hate me.”</p><p><strong> <em>Already shying away from the </em> </strong> <strong>truth <em>again, are we?</em></strong></p><p>Leonardo’s heart aches worse as the seconds tick by, as he waits for Ezio to say something, as he waits for Ezio to leave, or both of the above.</p><p> “Leonardo,” Ezio speaks slowly, as if trying to choose his words carefully. “I-”</p><p>“I am not finished,” Leonardo interrupts, pulling away from his friend and crossing his arms over his chest, as if guarding it from the worst of the pain to come, even though it’s futile. “I <em>know</em> that as soon as I tell you <em>why</em>, you will disappear. You will walk out that door, not because you will be needed elsewhere, but because you will be absolutely <em>disgusted</em> with me.”</p><p>“Leo-”</p><p>Leonardo raises his hand for silence. “And even if… even if you <em>don’t</em> hate me, you will <em>never</em> look at me the same again. I can’t stand the thought, that you might… I can’t talk about this anymore.” He shakes his head, and steps towards Ezio. He uncrosses his arms and lifts his hand up to grab the Codex page- but the other man still holds it out of his reach.</p><p>“Is this because I keep putting you in danger,” Ezio retorts, a sharp bite entering his voice, “or because you just do not want us to be friends any longer?” Leonardo’s eyes widen slightly at that last part, and it seems the <em>assassino</em> takes that for his answer. Ezio puts the Codex page down on the <em>artista’</em>s worktable not-so-carefully, and begins walking towards the door.</p><p>Leonardo, ignoring the scroll as it rolls off the table and onto the floor, follows after Ezio. “No, no, Ezio- that’s <em>not-”</em></p><p>“‘That’s not’ what?” Ezio hisses, stopping and whipping his head back around to glare from underneath his hood. “It seems to me it’s <em>exactly</em> like that, Leonardo. I do not hate you, I am not disgusted with you- hell, <em>what</em> in <em>Dio’</em>s name could possibly make you think I would be disgusted with you??… But I am <em>disappointed.”</em> He turns his head away, now facing the door once more. “I will return <em>later</em> to retrieve the Codex page. And then after that, you will not have to see me ever again.”</p><p>With that having been said, Ezio snags the door handle with his fingers and yanks it open. Before Leonardo can completely comprehend what’s happening, he is gone. The <em>artista </em>stands there for a long time, staring out through the still-open door, loathing himself for everything he’s done up to this moment.</p><p>
  <em>“And then after that, you will not have to see me ever again.”</em>
</p><p>Leonardo closes his workshop door, releasing a shaky sigh. <em>“Mi dispiace,</em> Ezio,” he murmurs, paying any mind to the tear slowly trailing down his cheek. “But I am a coward. A selfish, <em>selfish</em> coward.”</p><p>~~~~</p><p>Night has finally fallen here in Venezia.</p><p>Ezio crouches low atop the wooden thin wooden supports jutting from the top of the tower, his hazel eyes taking in the city sprawling out before him. The lantern-lit streets are sparse in terms of civilians- most of them are sleeping by this time. But he can see a few people strolling down the roads below, as well as the occasional patrol of guards. Sighing, Ezio decides he’s spent enough time up here and takes a leap. After falling at least twenty metres, he lands safely in a wagon full of hay.</p><p>He briefly wonders why there are so many hay carts around the city, but tries not to think about it <em>too much.</em> It’s really a good thing that there are a lot of them strewn about Venezia- no <em>assassino</em> in their right mind wants to end up a splatter in the middle of the road, after all.</p><p>Ezio clambers out of the wagon, boots hitting the stone road with a <em>thunk.</em> It’s not even two seconds later that- when he steps away from the cart and starts heading down the street in the direction of the Thieves Guild- his ears are being assaulted by the most annoying racket ever conceived of by man.</p><p>The <em>lute.</em></p><p>Ezio can’t even make out the words the damned so-called “musician” was playing. All his ears can focus on his that horrible, <em>horrible</em> sound. Ezio thinks about shoving the lute player into one of the nearby stalls- preferably not <em>too</em> hard like he did the last time (which resulted in another lute player’s untimely demise). Instead, he grabs the cursed instrument and yanks it out of the musician’s hands.</p><p>“Let me show you how it’s done, <em>signore.”</em> Ezio actually has no clue <em>how</em> to play the lute, but perhaps by subjecting this particular lute player to the same torture, it might make him and his friends think twice about getting all up in his face with that <em>awful</em> noise.</p><p>Without further ado, with the lute in hand Ezio bounds onto a nearby table- thankfully one that’s unoccupied by objects and/or people- and starts producing his own racket as he strums away on the lute strings. Alright, so <em>maybe</em> he’s worse at this than the lute players themselves, but he’s not about to stop now- not when he’s only just started.</p><p>“I’m a tactless <em>minstrel,</em> I sing off-key for <em>coins~</em> If you spot me on the street, please <em>kick</em> me in the <em>loins…!”</em></p><p>As the <em>assassino</em> sings the night away, much to the amusement as well as utter bewilderment of the few civilians who are present (minus the minstrel, who is clearly rather sullen at this point), the troubles of today fade into the back of his mind for the time being.</p><p>“Vieri, oh Vieri,” Ezio continues to sing, his strumming completely out of synch with his voice, “Yes he of Pazzi <em>fame~</em> Was just as mad as his old man, and ended just the <em>same!”</em></p><p> </p><p> </p>
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